Thief: The Arda Saga
by Raiden-sama
Summary: An unexpected encounter during a job sends Garrett, the master thief, into Middle Earth. Can he get back to his own world to get revenge on the man who exiled him, or will he be trapped there forever?


Chapter One: You Make Just One Mistake…

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It is simply AMAZING how reputation can mean everything one minute, and nothing the next.

The job started well enough for Garrett. He had snuck into a manor in order to grab some valuables so he could pay off his next rent…and get some extra spending money. It should have been a simple operation for a veteran like him. However, as he finished cleaning out one of the manor's storerooms…

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"That should be enough to cover the rent…now to get a little something extra before I leave," thought Garrett with a quiet chuckle as he pocketed the stack of coins. He had knocked out all the guards that patrolled anywhere near the door with his trusty blackjack, so he should've been safe leaving the storeroom the way he came. He turned around…and his eyes (both natural and mechanical) met another pair.

"Greetings." It was an older man, perhaps in his early fifties, wearing a uniform that Garrett didn't recognize. He had quite a bit of gray in his hair and his overall appearance accentuated his age. In his right hand was a wooden staff.

"Who the hell are you?" said Garrett, his right hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. He didn't trust this guy one bit, even if he looked relatively harmless.

The old man chuckled. "My name isn't important. But yours is, Garrett. You see, I have been paid to make you…go away."

Garrett cocked an eyebrow. "Go away?"

"Yes. My employer has decided that he would prefer if you no longer existed, and I just happen to have a new spell that can do that."

Garrett scowled. "…A sorcerer…!"

"Correct! HAH!!" The sorcerer made an exaggerated gesture towards the floor under Garrett's feet just as the thief was about to draw his sword. At first, nothing happened.

"Looks like your spell's a little unreliable, my friend," said Garrett with a derisive chuckle.

"Look again," replied the man. Garrett looked down, and his lone natural eye widened. A circle-shaped section of the floor was pulsating. He had to get out of there!! The thief ran for the edge of the pulsing area, but just before he could get clear, the floor disappeared completely under him in that circle. Fortunately, he was just close enough to the edge to grab it. He looked down into the hole…and saw a vortex of swirling energy just waiting to suck him in.

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"Damn it…" thought Garrett helplessly. The hole was actively pulling on him somehow, making it impossible for him to get out. The sound of laughter arrived at his ears. He looked up, and saw the sorcerer standing over him.

"Still think my gate doesn't work? I must admit, I do not know what will happen to you when you fall in. Perhaps you will go to another world altogether, or perhaps you will just…die. It really doesn't matter to me. Nor will I think anyone else will care. After all, what would it hurt for the world to lose another parasitic taffer?"

"Argh…I swear to you, I am going to get my revenge, even if it takes me a thousand years!" snarled Garrett.

The old man scoffed. "Goodbye, Garrett." With that, he delivered a swift kick to Garrett's head, causing the thief to lose his grip and fall into the gate…

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Garrett was unsure how long he had been out. It could have been minutes, it could have been years. He vaguely remembered the run-in with the sorcerer, and his fall into the void…then nothing. But where was he now?

Garrett opened his eyes. He was in a bed, a rather comfortable bed. Sitting up, he took a look at his surroundings. The room was very well-furnished, with books on a shelf and an unusually well-crafted nightstand beside his bed. The architecture wasn't like anything he had seen before. The room looked more like it was part of the wood that formed its walls than it was made from the wood. It would've been a Mechanist's nightmare. He then noticed a chair sitting up against one of the walls. On it were his weapons, cloak, and everything else, all neatly laid out.

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"How thoughtful. I'd better get out of here…" thought Garrett as he got out of the bed. He collected all his equipment, and went to the window. Outside, he saw that the house he was in overlooked a strange village set into what appeared to be a canyon, with a waterfall at one end. It wasn't at all a bad place, really. Suddenly, the door at the opposite of the bed swung open. Garrett whirled around to face the door. He wasn't so much unnerved by the sudden noise as he was by something else:

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"I never heard anyone approaching…could it be that I'm slipping?"

Three persons walked into the room. All three were quite tall and slender, with long black hair. Garrett mentally noted that their feet made no any noise as they touched the floor. Very strange, indeed. As they came closer, Garrett instinctive dropped his hand to the hilt of his sword. Immediately, one of the three spoke up.

"Hold! We are not going to attack you; there is no reason to draw your weapon."

Garrett did not let go of the hilt. He had heard that one before.

"Who are you?" he asked in a calm but icy tone. "And where is this?"

"My name is Lord Elrond, and you are in the town of Rivendell."

Garrett gave him a confused look, but still kept his guard up. "I know of no such place…is it a haven for the Hammerites or the Mechanists?"

Now Elrond gave him the strange look. "The who?"

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"Oh, brother…" Garrett finally took his hand off his sword hilt. He looked at the ground, then back to Elrond.

"What is your name, traveler?" said the lord after a few seconds.

"It's Garrett," came the rather curt reply.

Elrond rubbed his chin. "Garrett…that's an odd name for one of the Edain…"

Garrett sighed. "How long have I been asleep?"

"You slept for at least two days. We found you right outside our gates. It looked like you had been, for lack of a better word, dumped right on our doorstep."

Garrett chuckled. "Figures. Look, I'm glad for the help, sir, but I should really be off."

Elrond shook his head. "You should not venture out just yet. A darkness is growing in these lands, and the world is no longer very safe for lone travelers. You are more than welcome to stay here and rest yourself."

Garrett bit his lip. Normally, he would've just blown off the invitation and got out, but his instincts told him it was not a good idea. He remembered what the sorcerer had said:

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"Perhaps you will go to another world altogether…"

If he had truly gone to another world, then he could very easily get lost out there, as he had no points of reference. One of the first survival tactics he had been taught was that you should stay put when lost. Besides, surely these people had some goods worth…collecting?

"All right, Lord Elrond, I shall stay here for now. I appreciate your hospitality."

The lord smiled. "Good. You are, of course, free to explore the town as you wish."

"Of course. Thank you." Garrett bowed slightly, successfully keeping his distaste from showing. He hated kowtowing to nobles, but he didn't want to arouse any suspicion.

"Good day to you, Garrett." The three of them all bowed, and left the room. As they turned, Garrett suddenly caught something VERY strange. They all had ears with a pointed tip, instead of a curve.

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"Pointed ears…what kind of people are these, anyway…?"

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The Lord of Rivendell frowned to himself as he and his attendants left Garrett's room.

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"Ai, he is most unusual for a Man. His name…and that bizarre object he has in place of one eye…who is he?"

As he walked down the hallway, two voices called out to him in unison.

"Father!"

Elrond turned, and smiled. "Ah, Elladan! Elrohir!"

The speakers were twins, distinguishable only by their different outfits.

"Father, how is the Man we found outside the gates?"

Elrond sighed. "He's up and about, Elrohir. However, there is something strange about him. He seems…different, and I'm not referring to the thing that replaces his eye. He calls himself 'Garrett'."

"Garrett…" said the other twin, Elladan. "No group of Men I know of uses that name. Certainly not the Dunedain, and it doesn't sound like a name of the Rohirrim either."

Elrond nodded. "Well, there is one thing I am certain of. Whoever he is, he does not wish to reveal his full identity to us yet. It was as plain as the nose on his face; he's hiding something. I just hope it isn't anything dangerous…"

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